Our scripture this morning is Luke 11:33-36.
“No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden, or under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, so that those who come in may see the light. Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are healthy, your whole body also is full of light. But when they are unhealthy, your body also is full of darkness. See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness. Therefore, if your whole body is full of light, and no part of it dark, it will be just as full of light as when a lamp shines its light on you.”
Jesus uses the example of light from a lamp to describe how we are to share His light and love with the world. As the first act of creation, God said “let there be light” (Genesis 1:3). In John’s gospel we read of Christ “In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” (John 1:4-5)
Light is a unique thing in that it travels amazingly fast and all things are touched by it. We can block out the light and hide from it or close our eyes and ignore it, but it is impossible to stop it. That’s what Jesus wants us to understand – while people may choose not to receive God’s love and light, they can’t stop its spread.
Going a step further, Jesus calls us the “light of the world” (Matthew 5:14), a reminder that we have been blessed and called to shine for Him in an often dark world. Remember the line from the children’s hymn “Jesus wants me for a sunbeam to shine for Him each day”. Let’s shine together to spread the Good News everywhere.
Loving Lord, we are humbled and grateful to be part of Your light. Make us strong in faith to share Your love with all our brothers and sisters. Amen.